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and to ihe sighing of the wind which agitâtes ihe 

 leavcs of the trees. We ever surprise her wande- 

 ring over the skies with long gazings , as if in 

 search of immensity. She dreams of something un- 

 known and mysterious. But, we must not deceive 

 ourselves , Eurydice is of too elevated a nature for 

 us easily to find a spouse worthy to protect her , 

 worthy to dive into lier soul , worthy to be ail 

 for her. Many princes, said they again , would 

 perhaps consider themselves honoured by our al- 

 liance ; but among the numerous children who 

 grow up under the shade of the majestic oak of 

 Assaracus , there is not one to whora we would 

 conlidc so dear an existence. Nay that great re- 

 nown is not sufficiently pure , and misfortunes, too 

 well merited will doubtless assail and beat down 

 that tree which appears to us so powerfully rooted 

 in the earth. The daughter of a king whose reign 

 is finished would find a very frail support in the 

 son of a king whose reign is about to end. Ah ! 

 the days which bring new destitues into the woild 

 are very cruel ! Suffering is the progressive law of 

 the universe. » 



« Thus spoke the two spouses , and they turned 

 away to weep , when they beheld Eurydice. My 

 daughter , said they sometimes , open to us ihy 

 heart , own the secret thoughts and desires that 

 thou formest. » « l form no désire , answered the 

 innocent virgin , and ï have no secret thoughts.» 

 The young girl irnagined that she said the truth , 

 and yet she wept as her virtuous parents. She 



